Iran voices concern about Ayatollah Isa Qassim's health in Bahrain

The Islamic Republic of Iran has expressed concern about the health condition of top Bahrain's most prominent religious scholar, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, urging international bodies and organizations to intervene to lift the siege on his house.

According to Press TV, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said Wednesday that the Manama regime would be held accountable for consequences of any delay in the treatment.

“By imposing severe restrictions and keeping Ayatollah Qassim under detention, Bahraini officials have restricted his access to medical treatment and doctors,” said the Iranian official.

On Monday, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), a UK-based group, said the health condition of Sheikh Qassim, who has been under a virtual house arrest since last year, had dramatically deteriorated in recent days, warning that he was in urgent need of medical treatment. Activists also warned about the failing health of the top cleric.

Following reports earlier in the day that the cleric was in the midst of a health crisis, religious scholars across the tiny island state urged all people to demonstrate in support of the spiritual leader.